Choking on Air
by AllISeeAreStars
Summary: Remus was away on Halloween of 1981 and came back to find his life and family torn apart by unexpected betrayal. Now he must care for Sirius' daughter, Ithaca, despite the fresh pain of loneliness. Then he must watch as the girl he raised is off to fight a war left to children.
1. No

Chapter one: No

"No." Remus had just come back from one of Dumbledore's missions to hear the worst news imaginable. Not Sirius, he would never. Especially not to James. He collapsed into the chair across from the Headmaster. "No, you have to be mistaken."

Dumbledore's eyes held no twinkle, only age and sorrow. "I'm afraid it's true. When Peter found out, he went after him."

"No," he dreaded what the man would say next and looked at him with tears. "Tell me he didn't."

He nodded. "He did. He was distraught and screaming for all the street to hear that Sirius had betrayed us all. He's gone. Sirius destroyed him and twelve Muggles. The Aurors found him on the scene- laughing."

At this, the werewolf broke down in tears. His family, the only family he had left, the only friends he'd ever had, gone all at once. When he had his mind about him again, feeling more than slightly embarrassed, he turned back to his mentor.

"What of Harry? Or Ithaca? I did hear strange things. Is Voldemort really- "

"Gone for now," Dumbledore said. "But I have no doubt that he will be back. Harry is with Lily's sister."

"Petunia?"

"You know her?"

" _Of_ her," Remus corrected. "She refused to come to the wedding. I've only seen her once or twice from a distance. She hated Lily- hated magic. Why would you send him _there_?"

"I know it isn't ideal," Dumbledore said slowly, processing the story that he now had four people confirming, "but he had to go somewhere. When Lily sacrificed herself for him, that is why Voldemort's corporeal body was destroyed and he weakened. That is how Harry survived. The safest place he can be right now is with blood relations."

Remus nodded absently, too many thoughts swirling madly around in his head. It vaguely made sense. "Ithaca? What's to happen to Ithaca?"

"At the moment, she is in an orphanage. As you know, you are the godfather."

He looked at him as though he'd gone mad. "I-I can't take care of her. I'm poor, I'm a werewolf, and I have absolutely no idea how to raise a child. No, she's better off with whoever adopts her here after."

"A Muggle?" Dumbledore asked. "She's to be the daughter of Ellabeth Selwyn and Sirius Black. She'll be powerful very early. And with news of Sirius' betrayal, no wizarding family will want her or be good to her. She needs someone who will love her despite her father's misgivings." Here he paused. "Unless, of course, you don't think you could look past that?"

"Of course I could," Remus said, all but having made up his mind. "I love my goddaughter." He sighed heavily, feeling twice his age. "But the Ministry would never allow a werewolf to raise a child."

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "She's the only child of a mass murderer, I don't think they'll care."

*

Remus apparated to Strawberry Field Orphanage with a _pop!_ and sighed before trudging up past the gates to the gothic revival mansion where his goddaughter had resided for the past month. He hated himself for going on so long an assignment that he wasn't here when he was needed. He knocked on the front door and noticed children playing around the yards of all ages. The door opened to reveal a young woman with a kind face.

"May I help you, sir?" She asked.

He took a deep breath. He had to do this. For Ithaca. "Yes, I'm here about a girl that was brought here about a month ago. Her name is Ithaca Bl-black." He stuttered on the last name.

Her face became guarded. "What about her?"

Remus frowned. "I just got back," he told her. "My- job- sent me out of the country. I'm her godfather, Remus Lupin."

She brightened immediately. "Oh! Yes!" She stepped aside to let him in. "I apologize, but the man who brought her told us to be very, very leary of anyone asking about her. However, you were mentioned as the man who is to be trusted."

"The man who brought her?"

"Very strange, that one," she recalled aloud. "I can't remember his name, but we just sort of call him Mr. Nicholas as he was very reminiscent of Father Christmas."

Remus smiled half-heartedly. "Professor Dumbledore."

"See? You know who I mean. I'm Carina."

The walls in the hallways were lined with artwork of varying quality. They passed many rooms with open doors where he could see children playing with toys and such. It was a very nice facility, he thought. But not for Ithaca. When they stopped outside a closed door, Carina turned to him.

"This is Madame Belinda's office. She's the Director of Strawberry Fields." She knocked twice and at an answer, opened the door. "Madame Belinda?"  
The crow-like woman behind the desk didn't look up from her paperwork. "Yes, Carina?"

"This is Mr. Lupin for Ithaca Black."

At this, the Director looked up and sat up straighter with interest, moving her papers, and clasping her hands on the desk in front of her. "Please, have a seat, Mr. Lupin. I presume Miss Carina has told you of the strange instructions that came with the child?"

"She mentioned that you were told to keep strangers aside from me away from her."

"And would you be able to explain to us why?" Her scrutiny made him want to fidget in his seat and he couldn't help but draw parallels with Dumbledore.

"Ithaca's parents had many enemies," he said awkwardly and simply.

Madame Belinda looked disappointed at this and stood up, walking over to a filing cabinet, one of many, and pulling a very thin file out. "Miss Black has been quiet her entire stay here."

"She's never been an overly fussy baby."

"No, you misunderstand me. She has not made a sound since she has been brought to us."

He pulled his eyebrows together. She was always quiet, never being exceedingly difficult, but she still cried at night like a normal child. She babbled almost nonstop with Harry. She squealed with laughter at Padfoot.

"She had a bit of a cough when we got her, but it cleared up fairly quickly. She's been under the direct care of Miss Carina as she is currently the infant only here at the moment."

Remus looked back at the woman standing by the door. She blushed. "She's napping at the moment. She's such a sweet baby."

"I do need you to sign some papers."

"Of course," Remus said.

The Director addressed Carina. "Would you bring Miss Black?"

Ithaca recognized him immediately. "Moony!" She reached for him, almost falling out of Carina's arms. He pulled her into his own arms and she laid her head against him.

"Well, that's unmistakable," the Director said. Ithaca didn't say another word until they were all signed and stamped and he stood up. Then she lifted her head and looked at him with her strange violet eyes.

"Dada?" He pressed his forehead to hers. "He isn't here anymore, pup."

She seemed to half understand because she laid back against him and cried quietly.

"Were you very close with her parents?" Carina asked as she walked him out.

"I went to school with them. Her father and I were very close."

"I'm sorry," she said.

"So am I."

 **A/N** So, yes. I did try another 'Sirius has a daughter' story, but I hit a point I couldn't write around and lost my standing in it so I deleted it because I knew it wasn't going to go anywhere. Hopefully this one will go differently. For those of you whom read Breathing Underwater may recognize a scene/line/idea from it as there were parts I was just too proud of to leave behind with the click of a button. Plus, I think I may like Ithaca better than Aurora. Tell what you think or if you have any suggestions. I always try to keep an open mind. /p


	2. Years

Chapter two: Years

"Ithaca, your shoes are on backwards."

"No, they're not."

"I am literally looking right at them, and _yes_. They _are_."

She narrowed her eyes in a familiar determined expression he'd seen on Sirius enough times to recognize. He mentally groaned. "How do you know your shoes aren't the ones that are backwards? Well yeah _society_ says mine are backwards, but how do _they_ know?"

"You're four, what are you doing using words like 'society'?"

She grinned at him and smoothed out her dress. "Aunt Minnie says it's a'cause I'm gifted."

Remus sighed with a smile and picked her up to go through the Floo. Tonight was the full moon and Ithaca was spending the night with her friend, Neville Longbottom. Remus owed a great deal to Augusta Longbottom. He'd been friends with her son and after he had Ithaca, she helped him more than he could begin to express, showing him the best way to get her to eat, how to get her to sleep through the night, taught him how to get her to listen without him raising his voice. She and Neville became immediate friends and he was content to follow her lead in their games. Augusta watched her during the full moons many times. Between she, McGonagall, Dumbledore, and Hagrid, he couldn't ask for better help.

"Ithaca!" She ran to her friend as soon as Remus set her on solid ground.

"Remus," Augusta greeted. "You're looking well considering."

He snorted. "Now I _know_ I look terribly. And I definitely feel it." He sagged tiredly. "She brought her new Rubik's cube. She wants to teach Neville some trick on it. She's already eaten and we went to the park today so she shouldn't have any trouble getting to sleep, but lately she's been having trouble staying asleep so if you wake up to an elbow in your side… "

Augusta nodded at each note. "What's a Rubik's cube?"

"It's a Muggle puzzle of sorts. I can't figure the thing out, but she loves it."

She made an 'ah!' expression and glanced over to the children who were transfixed on Ithaca's new toy, Neville looking very confused at it.

"Well," Remus said, looking around nervously. "I had better get going."

"We will see you tomorrow afternoon."

"Thank you, truly. Ithaca! Come give me a hug before I go, pup."

The little girl in question charged at him with a wild grin, her long black hair trailing in a blur behind her.

"Oof! You're going to crush me."

"Love you, Moony."

He kissed the crown of her head and gave her a last squeeze before leaving.

Ithaca loved playing with Neville, even if he was awfully nervous a lot. Like he was afraid of messing everything up all the time. He just needed to believe in himself more. Aunt Minnie called that confidence. Ithaca remembered because Aunt Minnie also said she had it in spades. She didn't really understand the phrase, but Moony said it meant a lot. It made her smile.

"Where do you think he goes?" She asked her friend, suspiciously eyeing the fireplace.

Neville shrugged. "Probably home to rest cause he's sick."

"But he's sick all the time."

He shrugged again and showed her his new herbology book. She happily looked on with him, but still had her question in the back of her mind.

That night, frightened out of her sleep by a faceless nightmare, Ithaca's little feet slapped at the cold floor as she went down the hall to Neville's room. The door creaked when it opened, and Neville was sleeping peacefully amidst the picture books around him on the bed. Ithaca poked his face until he stirred.

"Wassit?"

"Move over," she whispered, moving his books to the chair in the corner of the room. He shuffled over more and she climbed up, having to pull herself up by grabbing the sheet rather than using the step stool that was Neville's preference.

"Good night," she murmured, snuggling in. Her only answer was a snore.

*

"Today is my birthday," Ithaca told Neville when he came over for the day. Remus smiled. She'd been asking when it was about once a week for the past two months. He had saved up to get her a pet, as she absolutely loved McGonagall's Animagus form, so today he was taking her and Neville to Diagon Alley. She just didn't know that yet.

"Are your shoes on the right feet?" He asked. She gave him a look. "I mean, are they on what _society_ deems is the right feet?"

She sighed dramatically. "Alas, my protest has gone unobserved so yes, they are. But I don't like it."

"Noted." He wasn't sure where she got some of the things she said like this, but somewhere this is how he imagined Sirius was as a child. It was enough to drive a parent insane, but he loved who she was. If she could be Sirius and stop short of his manipulations, he would be okay with that. There was absolutely no denying whose daughter she was.

Luckily, people didn't look at her and think 'Sirius Black' whenever they went to Diagon Alley- which wasn't often. They only saw a wild girl who wanted to see everything.

They lived mostly in the Muggle world as he could get a job there without prejudice of his "furry little problem", so they rarely ventured near other wizards. She didn't understand why, but she didn't really ask aside from the reason when they did go to Diagon Alley. This time he told her Floo powder.

"Moony, look!" She pointed to a new broom on display. He had one that he would occasionally take her up on with him, and she had a child broom Hagrid had given to her last birthday. Neville and Remus followed her down the crowd of people last minute shopping for Hogwarts the next day.

"Ithaca, stay close." She stopped walking and waited for them to catch up before going off again and running into someone, falling. The tall man glanced down casually, his long, white-blond hair shining in the sun. She stood up and brushed herself off. "Ithaca, you can't go running off like that, apologize for bumping into him."

Then Remus looked up and saw who it was. Lucius Malfoy. He could have sighed. "I'm sorry, sir," he heard her say. He and Lucius were watching each other carefully and he saw the click in the other man's eyes when he realized whose daughter this was.

"Quite alright," he drawled. "Children are, of course, allowed their transgressions."

"Right," Remus said, wanting to get her as far away from this man as humanly possible. "Come along, Ithaca. Neville."

Lucius stopped them, "Uh, Lupin. What brings you here today? It is not often we are blessed with your, presence."

"Floo powder," Ithaca said. "And, it's my birthday."

His steel gray eyes flashed. "Is it? Well the happiest of them to you, Miss Black."

When they were down the street and outside of the Magical Menagerie, she turned to Remus. "I didn't like that man, Moony."

"Why not?" Remus asked curiously.

"He just made me feel strange. And he knew me. I don't know how, but he knew me."

Remus said nothing and they went inside the store. He was almost positive she would choose a cat. Or maybe an owl as she always got excited when the post came in. He did not, however, expect her to bypass both and head toward the stranger animals. She and Neville were looking at ferrets when something landed on her shoulder. A young finger monkey. Her face lit up and she held her hand up for the monkey to crawl in it. Then she looked up at Remus with a grin he could never say no to.

"Twenty galleons." The woman at the counter told them a few minutes later.

It was twice as much as he had wanted to spend. He looked down at Ithaca and the monkey who was currently on Neville's shoulder playing with his ear and sighed softly, getting the money out. No Floo powder for today.

Ithaca named the monkey Powder. He told her, when she asked, that he had only used Floo Powder as a cover for the pet. She was too young to worry about money. She bought it with a smile and proclaimed his name in celebration. Remus couldn't feel too down when seeing how happy the small animal made her. They could just apparate back and forth places for a while.

*

Ithaca glanced nervously at the building in front of her. "Why can't I stay home with Neville and Gran? _He_ doesn't have to come to school."

"Neville is being homeschooled."

"Why can't I be homeschooled?"

Remus sighed. "Because I think it would be best if you were around more kids your age aside from Neville. It could be fun."

She looked doubtful. "What if they don't like me?"

"They will love you," he insisted.

"He's a werewolf!" Ithaca said excitedly.

Neville looked at her with a frown and knitted eyebrows. "What are you talking about?"

"Moony! Don't you see?" She pulled out a big book from behind her back and flipped to a page in it. "He's gone every month on the full moon, he has all those scars, he doesn't work in the Wizarding world because they would notice and be mean to him."

"Remus is going to be mad that you messed with his books, Ithaca."

She huffed at her friend, the way only seven year olds can. "I'm allowed to read his books."

"When he's supervising."

She opened her mouth to say something when she heard Remus come out of his study. Quickly she stuffed the forbidden book under a pillow and answered yes, she was hungry and ready for lunch. And yes, chicken tenders sounded delicious- did we have ranch? Neville rolled his eyes, a new thing for him courtesy of Ithaca, and went back to his chess game with Powder.

*

"Who were my parents?" She asked him one rainy afternoon at nine years old. She and Powder had gone window to window looking outside with a disappointed sigh. She had wanted to play outside today. Ithaca had never asked about her parents. He told her stories, of course, but he left her parents' names out and never mentioned past Hogwarts.

"What do you want to know?" He asked diplomatically. He had prepared for this day, not being naïve enough to think she would never ask.

"What were their names?"

Remus put his paper down and beckoned her over to sit with him. "Your mother's name was Ellabeth Selwyn. She was a Ravenclaw."

"And my father?"

"His name was S-Sirius Black."

She beamed. "And he was a Gryffindor, like us, right?"

Remus nodded, but was unsure. As she got older, he had the thought that perhaps she was more Slytherin than Gryffindor.

"How did they die?" Ithaca whispered.

Remus kissed her hair and inhaled softly. "I have told you that not all wizards are good, haven't I?" She nodded, cuddling closer to him. "Well a long time ago, one wizard went really bad. His name was Voldemort. He gathered followers and wanted to kill all the Muggles and Muggleborns. He thought that being pureblood made you better."

"But that's crazy!" She said. "Lyla is much better at arithmetic than I am, and she's a Muggle."

Remus couldn't help but smile. Truth from the mouths of babes. "I know that, and you know that, but he and his followers thought differently. Albus led a fight against him. I was part of that fight as were James, Lily, Peter, and Sirius."

"Did he kill them?"

He wanted to lie and say that yes, Voldemort killed her parents, but she would be going to Hogwarts soon and would learn the truth there. He wanted to be the one that had to tell her. "Voldemort killed your mother a few months after you were born. She had tried to defend a Muggle child during a raid."

"A-and my dad?"

"Sirius was a follower of Voldemort." She gasped and Powder even covered his own mouth. "He betrayed us."

Ithaca didn't say anything for a few minutes and then she climbed in Remus' lap and hugged him. "You're my real father, Moony. I love you."

He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and hugged her tightly to him. "I love you too, pup."


	3. Letters

Chapter three: Letters

Ithaca ran downstairs on the morning of July 30th, a month before she turned eleven and Neville's birthday. Her long, black hair stuck up from all sorts of angles in the best display of defying gravity, her face had drool out of the corner of her mouth in a crusty line, and her violet eyes did not appear as those of an awake Ithaca. Powder, who went with her everywhere, yawned from her shoulder. She'd been waiting for her Hogwarts letter all summer. Remus said nothing as she sat across from him at the breakfast table and resisted the urge to bounce in her seat. He glanced up from behind his Daily Prophet and blinked in fake surprise at her, almost laughing at the sight.

"Ithaca, you're up early."

She smiled hopefully. "Is my letter here yet?"

"What letter?" He asked innocently. Powder lept from her shoulder to Remus' and grabbed something he was hiding behind the paper, leaping back to give it to her.

And Ithaca was suddenly wide awake as she beamed and then squealed, jumping out of her seat to dance around the kitchen. She pulled Remus from his chair and he spun her around. She never failed elicit a smile from him. The fireplace roared and flashed green and Neville stepped out- still in his night clothes- with his own grin, waving his envelope around in the air- joining their dance.

"I do believe they received their letters, Minerva," a familiar voice said.

"Aunt Minnie!"

While the children were with McGonagall, Dumbledore pulled Remus aside. "Hagrid will not be able to be with Ithaca tonight." He said seriously.

"Okay, what happened?"

"He has gone to get Harry. We've sent letters upon letters, but we have yet to receive any confirmation he has received them."

Remus frowned. "I doubt they've even told him anything about his parents. Or magic."

"Surely they would not keep such things from him."

"You are a great wizard, and a good man, professor, but you cannot hold everyone to such standards."

Ithaca came over to them. "Moony? Can I go over to Neville's tonight? It's his birthday."

He rolled his eyes playfully at her tactic of adding the last bit in hopes he'd be less likely to say no. "Ask Augusta if it's alright with her."

"You know Gran won't mind."

" _If_ she says yes, then you may go. Don't forget your present for Neville."

"I won't!" She called over her shoulder.

Dumbledore smiled. "I am glad you have not had any issues raising Sirius' daughter."

"He doesn't deserve her as a daughter," Remus growled. "She's mine in every way except blood."

Dumbledore only nodded indulgently.

*

Neville and Ithaca were excited for Diagon Alley the next morning. Ithaca slept in his room and Powder woke them both around dawn. They were up early, dressed and ready at the breakfast table before their Gran had even stirred. When she made her way down a few hours later, she chuckled.

"Frank was just the same," she told them in reference to Neville's father. "Couldn't wait to get ready for Hogwarts. He never slept well the night before."

Diagon Alley was crowded, but Ithaca had come to the theory that Diagon Alley was _always_ crowded. Remus and Augusta trailed behind, but Neville and Ithaca knew better than to run _too_ far ahead.

"What shall we do first?" Ithaca said in a lets-get-down-to-business tone of voice. She couldn't wait to go Hogwarts. Why did it have to be another month out?

Remus eyed her tenderly. "How about wands? I imagine it's the most important. The first thing to know, never lose your wand. Take good care of it."

Ithaca nodded obediently and Neville slumped a little. Augusta had decided he should use his father's wand.

"Remus Lupin," the odd wizard with silver eyes greeted. "Cypress and unicorn hair, ten and a quarter inches- pliable." Ithaca tilted her head to the side and studied the man carefully, watching him turn to her Gran. "Augusta Longbottom- cedar, unicorn hair, eleven inches. Quite bendy."

Then he turned his eyes to her and she smiled, deciding she liked him. "Ithaca Black. I have watched you and your friend grow up running past my window. I wondered when I would be seeing the two of you in my shop. Now, which one of you will be going first?"

"Neville will be using his father's wand," Augusta said in her strict way that both children knew better than to argue with. Mr. Ollivander looked as though he wanted to say something, but then thought wiser.

"Now," he said to Ithaca as he measured her left arm, "your father had a wand of aspen and dragon heartstring, eleven and a half- very firm. I will say I was very surprised to find that he had turned to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and I will admit to still having my doubts."

Remus cleared his throat and Mr. Ollivander looked up casually in silent question. "We don't talk about him," Ithaca answered, knowing Moony would be too polite to really say anything. She'd never met anyone who had the thought that her father might not actually be guilty. "But I've never met someone who doubted that he was a Death Eater." She looked at him curiously.

"And I can see why, but wands do not lie, Miss Black. Remember that."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, let's see. Yes, let's try this one." He held out a dark brown wand. "Yes, I shall be very shocked if this isn't the one."

Ithaca reached out and picked it up, feeling this surge through her and a shimmery blue light erupted from the tip and winded around her before fading. She smiled, a smile Remus had never seen on her, and looked up with wide eyes.

"Acacia wood, dragon heartstring, thirteen inches, slightly springy. I think you will be very happy together."

"W-what does the combination mean? Or, is it just all random with no connection?" She asked, gazing at her wand.

"It means, Miss Black, that you are very unique or this wand would not have chosen you. I rarely make wands of this wood because they can be very tricky to place. Very subtle, but for the most gifted."

She grinned at Remus and he realized he had never really thought about wands and what each means. He stepped forward to pay, but she stopped him and turned to Augusta.

"Gran, I know you really want Neville to use his dad's wand. You probably hope that by him using it, his father is still going on. I suppose I understand that, and your son did great things. But how can Neville expect to do great things if he is living in the shadow of someone else's memory?"

Everyone stared at her in wonder, Augusta's mouth opening, and then closing again before she looked to Mr. Ollivander with glistening eyes and a hard voice. "His right is his wand arm."

Ithaca smiled encouragingly to Neville.

"Do you really think I can do great things?" He asked her.

She rolled her eyes. "Of course, I said that, didn't I?"

After he had his wand (thirteen inches, cherry, unicorn hair), they paid and left. Next was books, they each piled up their books and wobbled to the front counter, as well as Remus finding a few things he wanted to read. Ithaca usually would have piled on more books, always hungry for more. She had told Remus once that she wanted to know everything about everything. After Augusta was able to drag the two of them out, Ithaca insisted that she and Neville could go to get fitted for their robes without adult supervision and the adults went to get their potions supplies.

"Hogwarts, dears?" Madame Malkins asked. They both nodded with wild grins at wandering without adults. "Have a seat

, you'll have to wait until our other two are finished."

Ithaca looked up at the two boys, their robes being pinned to the right length.

"Hogwarts?" The first asked, with a bored tone and pinched face. Neville nodded.

"Yes, of course." She answered aloud. She caught the eye of the other boy, only slightly taller than she was with a crop of untamed black hair on his head. Her eyes widened. Harry Potter. She had old pictures of the two of them playing. Of his parents holding her as a baby. She smiled and he hesitantly gave a small smile back. "Hello."

"Hello," he said quietly- nothing like how she thought he would be.

"Do either of you know what House you'll be in?" The first boy asked, and Ithaca got the feeling it was to bring the attention back to himself.

"Probably Hufflepuff," Neville mumbled. He was afraid he wouldn't be in Gryffindor like his father. Alice Longbottom was, of course, in Hufflepuff. Ithaca nudged him and smiled.

"If you're in Hufflepuff then they'll be lucky to have you."

The pinched pale boy snorted. "My father says that Hufflepuff is just the House for people who don't belong anywhere else. The leftovers."

Neville went bright red and Ithaca glared at the stranger. "Who do you think you are?" She demanded.

He looked as though he'd never seen anything like her before. "I beg your pardon?"

"Hufflepuff is the house for loyalty, patience, hard-work, and fairness. Obviously if that's your father's stance on the House he can't be too gifted in any of those attributes. Perhaps you should learn to form your own opinions on things rather than blindly following someone else's."

The boy's face didn't change, but his cheeks turned a slight pink. "Oh? And what House will you be in, if you know so much?"

"Gryffindor, of course," she said proudly.

"The house for those with more courage than common sense?" He commented.

Harry watched the scene between the pale boy and the girl with violet eyes. He kind of liked her. Standing up for her friend. That must be nice.

"You just have someone else's opinion for everything, don't you?"

The woman doing his robes told him he was done, and he stepped down- glancing out the window as Neville went up to the stand next. "I say, look at that man!"

"That's Hagrid," Ithaca and Neville echoed with Harry. He looked at her, happy he knew something the boy didn't. But the girl and her friend did?

"He works at Hogwarts," Harry said.

The boy wrinkled his nose. "Oh. I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant isn't he?"

Ithaca strongly disliked this boy as he continued. He made her think of a conversation she and Moony had a few years ago about those who thought their blood meant that they were better. Everything about him screamed pureblood. She narrowed her eyes at him when he started asking about Harry's parents.

"But they were our kind, weren't they?" Then he glanced at them and Ithaca and Neville both nodded. Then he went off about the 'other sort' and Ithaca reddened. This is the kind of talk that started wars.

"The other sort can be just as good as we can." She insisted passionately. Moony had told her that she would have to hear things like this, but she didn't intend to be silent about it.

"Oh, and what's your surname? I imagine you're half-blood if you don't understand or respect the old ways."

"The old ways are what started the war and racism."

"So I was right? Ha! A half-blood, thinking they know the old ways better- trying to put us purebloods in our place? You should learn yours."

"Oi! She's the heir to both the Black and Selwyn families." Ithaca shot Neville, who'd spoken in a surge of bravery, a look. Though, she did like the way the pale boy's eyes widened, threatening to pop out of his head. Then a bell rang as the door opened and a strangely familiar man walked in. She vaguely remembered Moony calling him Malfoy when he told Gran about it later. He met her eyes and smirked.

"Miss Black, I must have forgotten you'd be attending Hogwarts with my son."

She resisted the urge to shiver. "Clearly your memory isn't as good as your eloquence, Mr. Malfoy."

He almost looked, impressed. He turned to the boy, "Draco, your mother is waiting. Go."

This Draco left without question and his father followed. Harry hopped down and came beside her. "I'm Harry."

"I'm Ithaca."

"Ithaca, you need to get fitted for your robes," Neville reminded her. She looked up to see Madame Malkins ready for her and Harry went out to see Hagrid.

He told the half giant about the pale boy and the girl with strange eyes.

"Sounds like you met Ithaca." Hagrid said. "She and Neville stay with me from time to time. The two of you used to play together as babies. Her guardian was friends with your parents. She's grown up on stories about them."

"Do you think she would tell me some?"

*

Remus insisted she read at least one chapter in each school text to prepare for the school year, not that she complained too much. She was happy to read her books out loud for Neville and Powder. She wasn't sure about Potions, and Moony had told her that he knew the professor would be hard on her because he hated them, but she was very excited about Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration.

One morning, about a week after Diagon Alley, Hagrid sent her a letter in large, crude handwriting asking her to write Harry about his parents. She chewed on the edge of her Muggle pen, wondering what one should write.

 _Harry_

 _Hagrid told me you would like to know more about your family. First you should know, they were both in Gryffindor with my father. Your father, my biological father, and my guardian (Moony) were best friends. I have pictures that are enclosed of your parents, us as babies, and even one I found of their wedding. I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have and if I don't know- Moony most certainly will._

 _Your friend,_

 _Ithaca Black_

 _P.S. This is our owl, Archimedes, he likes to be scratched under his beak. Don't touch his wings- he hates that._

Harry didn't see the last warning until he held a slightly bleeding finger to his lips. He was distracted by the closing of 'your friend'. He had a friend. Granted, one he didn't know much about, but still a friend. He tore open the envelope with the pictures and Ithaca was hard to miss with her eyes. Plus, they were labelled on the back. He was surprised to find the pictures moving. He watched the loop of them all laughing. He watched his father sneak a kiss as the camera flashed and his mother slap his chest playfully. There was a man labeled as Moony, who Harry had gathered was her guardian, and a man that looked very much like his new friend. He quickly wrote back.

 _Ithaca,_

 _Thank you so much for the pictures. I've never seen one of my parents. What happened to your parents? I know it's probably rude to ask, so you definitely don't have to answer. I still don't know a lot about the Wizarding world. I only just learned what I was the day before I met you. Could you explain? I feel like I'm just being dropped in blind._

 _Your friend,_

 _Harry Potter_

 _P.S. Thanks for the warning, but I was a little late reading it._

Ithaca walked over to one of the bookshelves in her room and pulled out a book, _'So You're Magic!: An Introduction to the Secret World Around You,_ and went downstairs to talk to Moony.

 _Harry,_

 _My mother died in a raid and my father is currently in Azkaban for being a secret follower of Voldemort. I don't really talk much about them, but you may as well know since everyone else will upon hearing my name. I don't know much about my mom other than she had my eyes. Moony says she was in Ravenclaw and wicked smart. I included a book I have written for Muggleborns to explain a few things they will be experiencing. You are welcome to have it as a late birthday gift. Neville says I have too many books as it is._

 _I asked Moony if you could come over to my house for my birthday (August 31_ _st_ _). You could spend the night if your relatives don't mind and you can catch the train with Neville and I the next morning. You, of course, are welcome to say no, but think about it? Send me an owl to tell me either way._

 _Your friend,_

 _Ithaca_

Harry almost barreled down the stairs to the sitting room where his Aunt and Uncle were watching the telly, but by some miracle was able to pace himself and walk down with a little dignity.

"Uncle Vernon?" He asked hesitantly. His answer was a grunt. "I-uh, someone I met has offered for me to catch the train with them to my new school. That way I don't inconvenience you."

He praised himself on making his voice less shrill in his excitement. His uncle grunted again. "When is it?"

"August 31st. I would stay the night and they would take us to King's Cross the next day."

Uncle Vernon grunted again and Harry raced to let his new friend know.

*

Aunt Petunia was the one who opened the door the morning he was leaving. Ithaca gave her best smile.

"Good morning, Mrs. Dursley. I really cannot tell you how happy I am that you allowed Harry to come over to my home."

Petunia said nothing, only calling for Harry who grinned at Ithaca. He hadn't seen this Moony yet, but he looked like the one from the pictures, just older, more tired, and with more scars. He smiled at him, Remus momentarily seeing James standing there instead of his son.

"Do you need help with your trunk?" He asked Harry. Harry blushed and nodded.

"It's heavy. I mean, I could get it, I just- "

"That's alright. I can get it."

Ithaca and Harry went ahead to the car that Remus had as they lived mostly Muggle. Harry told her how far in the book he was- thankful she sent it as it covered a lot of things he would never think to ask about. Some things he would still have to ask for more clarification about, but he felt much more prepared than before.

"You'll get to meet Albus, of course, and Aunt Minnie. They come every year. Hagrid will be there and Neville."

"Neville was the boy with you that day?"

"Mmhmm, we've been friends almost as long as you and I have. His Gran helped raise me. Aunt Minnie is Gryffindor's Head of House. Albus is the Headmaster. You know Hagrid already."

"Yeah, he was the one who got me Hedwig."

Ithaca leaned over and whispered. "He's been trying to sneak me a hippogriff for years, but Moony won't have it."

"I hope you aren't telling stories," Remus said as he buckled his seat belt.

"Of course not, Moony. Would I do that?"

He just looked at her through the rearview mirror and she smirked. Like always, he quickly looked away. She had Sirius' facial expressions perfectly. Harry couldn't imagine a better feeling. He had a friend. A friend who had knowledge of his parents and his world. A friend who was helping him get away from the Dursley's a day early. They turned onto a long driveway into a patch of woods where a nice cottage was with a tire swing in the front yard and a small pond to the left. It was so different from Privet Drive. Homey.

Ithaca opened her door and charged to the front door, swinging it open and calling for Powder. Moony had insisted Powder stay home when they went to get Harry. She'd never been away from him so long. She met Harry outside and introduced them.

"Will they let you take him with you tomorrow?" He asked. "Monkeys weren't on the list."

She smirked. "Albus said he could make an exception. He secretly likes doing that- making exceptions. He likes having a reason. Plus, he and Powder like to play chess together."

Harry laughed, a monkey that could play chess. The fireplace glowed green and two people stepped out, first Neville and then Gran. Harry had read about the Floo network, but was still surprised. To think- traveling by fireplace. Neville cupped something in his hand and came over to show Ithaca.

"Look! I found a toad in the garden. He's coming to Hogwarts with me, Gran said he could." He looked up and saw Harry. "He-hello, I'm Neville Longbottom."

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

"You're the boy from Madame Malkins." He said, making the connection.

Ithaca grinned. "Guess what?" She pulled them close. "Moony said we could camp in the living room and stay up as late as we want tonight. He bought a bunch of Muggle sweets."

Remus came in with Harry's trunk and a handful of bags from the nearest grocery store. He turned to Harry. "I apologize for not introducing myself earlier," he said. "I thought you might want to get away from there as soon as possible. Lily said her sister could be a bit difficult to live with."

Harry smiled appreciatively. "Thank you, and she is."

"I'm Remus Lupin."

"Oh. I thought- "

"That my name was Moony?" Harry nodded. Remus laughed lightly. "That's what your father and our friends used to call me. Ithaca has always called me that- like you did as a baby. You're welcome to call me whichever you prefer."

"Thank you, sir."

Ithaca went to show him around and he quickly liked Neville, who had the tendency to go off on a plant he'd never heard of, and Powder, who liked to jump from shoulder to shoulder- but obviously preferred Ithaca's shoulder to either of theirs.

Hagrid arrived next, happy to see Ithaca and Harry friends as they should have been from the beginning. Then came a strange eagle owl with a package in its beak. Remus unwrapped it and furrowed his brow. _To Miss Black. From one wand enthusiast to another._ Then his eyebrows shot up. Garrick Ollivander had sent Ithaca a book of notes about wand woods and cores and what they meant.

Dumbledore came as Remus wondered about the unexpected gift. He was also very surprised to see this, but insisted there would be no harm in giving it to her. Mr. Ollivander was a neutral party in the war- much reminiscent of the centaurs.

Harry loved the amount of magic he was seeing, whether it was the coming and going through the Floo, or the strange sneakoscope Dumbledore gave Ithaca. She had convinced Moony to demonstrate a variety of small spells for him to see. She raced and beat both he and Neville. She challenged them to stick sword fights. She told ghost stories of real ghosts. Ithaca even beat them to the top of a rather large oak tree in the back yard, coming in second only to Powder who cheated like mad. He had never had so much fun in one day and fell asleep easily to dreams of heroic duels and damsels stuck in trees.

*

Ithaca woke him up by zapping him in the butt with her wand. He jumped up, his glasses askew from having slept in them, and a sore spot. She giggled and Harry smiled at something behind her. She frowned a little and went to turn around, being picked up by Moony over his shoulder and being marched outside with her wriggling and shrieking in laughter.

"Moony," she said- trying to be serious and failing. "Don't you dare!"

Harry watched, dumbstruck as Neville came up beside him with a piece of toast. "W-where is he taking her?"

"It looks like the pond. They like to prank each other. When we were eight, she moved all of his books out of their alphabetic order in his study."

"What did he do?"

Neville shrugged with a mischievous grin. "He dyed her hair purple."

"Then what did she do?"

"Well," he took his last bite and mumbled, "that one kind of backfired as she decided she liked the purple hair. He changed it back and won't let her dye it again."

They heard a splash and a scream cut off by the water. Moony laughed as she surfaced, sputtering and glaring at him before swimming back to the dock and heaving herself up.

*

"No."

"It's true."

"That's ridiculous," Harry said, sure his friend's guardian was just taking the mickey out of him.

Ithaca sighed. "I'll go first." Then she steeled herself, grinning at her two friends, and ran through the wall to disappear.

She was awed at the large train she found, the Hogwarts Express. It looked just like Moony described it. Harry came after her, then Moony, Neville, and Gran. Without Trevor, the toad. Neville immediately began frantically looking for it. They hadn't found it by the time they had to board the train and Ithaca promised he was likely to be on the train waiting and looking around.

Soon they were joined by Ronald Weasley, who said nothing to Ithaca after learning her name, but kept glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Ithaca decided to go looking for Trevor with Neville and promised to be right back. She opened a compartment door to find a bushy haired girl reading Hogwarts: A History. Moony had tried to recommend it, but she couldn't get past the first chapter or so. She was currently trying to memorize her gift from Mr. Ollivander. It was already very special to her.

"Have you seen a toad?" She asked. "My friend Neville's lost one."

The girl looked up and shook her head. "No, but I'll help you find him."

Ithaca smiled and held out her hand. "I'm Ithaca Black."

"Hermione Granger."

They decided to split up and cover more ground. Ithaca made her way through and opened one compartment with two boys a few years older than her. Both with the same red hair as Ron.

"Have either of you seen a toad?"

One turned to her with a broad smile. "Of course I have, he's sitting across from me."

The other twin, as she noticed they couldn't not be twins, held out a small bag of various colored candies. "Want one?"

She reached for one and stopped. "What do they do?"

The second twin turned to the first. "I don't think she trusts us, Gred."

"Doesn't look like it, Forge."

"They turn your hair the same color as the candy."

Ithaca laughed heartily. "That's excellent! Do you have a purple?"

*

On the search again, this time with brightly colored hair like a plum, she found Hermione in Harry and Ron's compartment. She led her in and sat down.

"Well, I hope Neville's had more luck than we have. Harry, Ron, this is my friend Hermione Granger." Everyone stared at her. "What?"

"Ithaca, your hair."

"Oh, yes, that. I found the Weasley twins who had candies that colored your hair. So I chose a purple one. It was actually quite tasty."

Ron's ears went red. "They're always making stuff like that. It drives Mum barmy."

"It's brilliant," Ithaca said.

Neville opened the door and slumped next to her. "I can't find him."

Again, the door opened and Draco Malfoy stood there with two larger boys on either side of him. "Is it true? They're saying all down the train that Harry Potter's in this compartment. So it's you is it?"

Ithaca rolled her eyes and looked away, biting her tongue for once. She heard the boy introduce his guard detail, for that's the air they had about them, and smiled when Ron snorted at his name. She couldn't agree more. Even Hermione sort of snickered, but Draco focused on Ron.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father's told me all the Weasley's have red hair, freckles, and more children than they can afford."

"As opposed to more money and control than one deserves for no reason other than having fabulous hair?"

Draco turned to Ithaca, not having noticed her. He ignored her comment with pink cheeks and turned to Harry. "You'll soon find out some Wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

He held his hand out and Ithaca was pleased to see him ignore it. "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks."

"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he started.

Ithaca interrupted. "Harry just said he didn't need your help. This compartment is full, I suggest trying elsewhere."

Draco sneered, but left.

*

Ithaca's hair had faded back to its natural black by the time she piled in a boat with Neville, Hermione, and a boy who introduced himself as Blaise Zabini. Neville was happily reunited with Trevor and Ithaca was happily chatting with Hermione and Blaise when a quietness fell upon the formation of boats as they rounded a bend to see the castle. It took her breath away and Ithaca woke Powder up, who'd been napping on her shoulder so he could see it as well. She leaned over and skimmed her hand on the lake. Moony's tales didn't do it justice, despite him being a phenomenal story teller.

Minnie winked at Ithaca and Neville discreetly when she opened the doors to receive them. Ithaca didn't know how they were sorted. That was the story Moony wouldn't tell, deciding instead to smile secretively and change the topic. He did, however, tell her not to worry. She wasn't.

The Great Hall was a sight. She'd never imagined something so wonderful. There were thousands upon thousands of candles lighting it and she could see the stars in the ceiling. Hermione explained to her that it was charmed. On the stool ahead was an old, probably smelly, hat- and she could have laughed. The stories the students had been told about trolls and tests, and it was a hat. Ithaca squeezed Neville's hand and smiled at her small group of friends she had found.

"Don't be worried," she told them during the hat's strange song. "I'll still talk to any of you- even if you get sorted to Slytherin."

"Black, Ithaca."

"Well, see you on the other side," she said with a wink and a salute before fearlessly and confidently walking up to the stool.

 _"Well, well. Miss Black. I have been most anxious to sort_ _you_ _since I heard that Sirius Black had a child- and I must say I'm not disappointed. Yes, let's see. I see loyalty, unwavering loyalty to those you deem worthy of it, a cunningness to rival the best of Slytherin, a hunger for adventure. Do give my regards to Mr. Lupin. I still maintain he would have done well in Ravenclaw._ GRYFFINDOR!"

The table of red and gold cheered as she took her seat next to George Weasley and waited for her friends. She couldn't believe how lucky she was that they were all sorted to Gryffindor with her. In every honesty, she had the worry she would be put in Slytherin. Not that she was among those who thought Slytherin automatically meant Death Eater, but she wanted to make Moony proud in his old House- without the prejudice of the House of snakes.

 **A/N: Hey guys, please tell me what you think of Ithaca, if you have any suggestions for future scenes, etc. Also, if you read any of my other stories- I'm working on them still I promise. Granted, I focus on whichever has the most eager to read and the most inspiration. At the moment that is Colors, Choking on Air, and Learning to Cope. If you want me to update one of the others you kind of have to tell me. Please leave your thoughts in the towel section below. Love always, Skye**


	4. Conflict

Chapter four: Conflict

Ithaca would admit that finding your way around the castle was more difficult than Moony had led her to believe, but then, he admitted that he and the Marauders had a secret map that had been confiscated by Filch a month before they graduated. She was proud of herself for not being late the first day with Harry and Ron to Aunt Minnie's class, and that she remembered to only call her professor. Moony was ecstatic to hear that she and Neville both made Gryffindor with Harry and their new friends. He sent her a rough sketch from memory of the layout to her classes and such. He did not, however, encourage her to find out what was on the third floor. She didn't have to tell him how tempted she was.

She loved her classes. She read her wand book in History of Magic, was able to turn her matchstick pointed and silver in the first lesson and a real needle in the second. Her Charms class was going alright, if she could somehow stop getting paired with Seamus Finnegan. She liked her eyebrows _on_ her skin. Defense Against the Dark Arts, well, let's say she was disappointed. All Professor Quirrell seemed to want to talk about were vampires. Herbology was always Neville's strength and she was happy to pair with him and have him explain what Professor Sprout's words to her just couldn't. Her favorite so far, aside from Transfiguration, was Astrology. She loved looking at the night sky with Moony at home. They would lay outside on a blanket and he would explain the different constellations and stars. Ironically, though she would never say this out loud, her favorite was Sirius; the dog star.

Friday morning, she had Potions. She wasn't looking forward to it as she had her other classes as she had some trouble with the text and the theory of the subject as well as Moony's guilt-ridden tales of the Potion Master vs. the Marauders. Moony told her he honestly wasn't sure which the man hated more- James or Sirius. The night before, she read the second chapter in the text just to be safe.

The dungeon was freezing and Ithaca was happy Moony had thought to put temperature charms on all of her robes before she left. Along the shelves and tables inside were strange jars of various animal skulls and potion ingredients. Some she recognized vaguely, others she didn't want to. She sat next to Neville and then a door slammed open and there was a soft shifting of robes as a tall, pale man that she had seen at meals strode through- robes trailing behind him like a superhero cape. She couldn't help but think no human being should be able to move that smoothly and effortlessly.

His deep, rich voice never rose above a low tone, but looking around, Ithaca was positive everyone heard every word. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He had the gift of speech. That gift that when you open your mouth, people pay attention. "As there is little foolish wand waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquid that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses.. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

She wanted to tell him how amazing that speech was, when his cold eyes settled on her and he narrowed them. "Black! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Oh! She knew this one. "Draught of Living Death, sir."

His face didn't change, but she saw a flicker in his eyes like they had been challenged. "Where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

Something's stomach. Sheep, cow, goat! "The stomach of a goat, sir."

"What, is the difference, Black, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

What kind of a question was that? There wasn't one, was there? "There, isn't one? Sir?"

His eyes narrowed again. "Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Telling." He turned on his heel and went back to his pacing.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Miss Black." Draco and his goonies snickered.

Harry stood up, indignantly. "But she answered every question right!" He turned to Hermione, who had raised her hand at every question, and she nodded to confirm.

"Detention, Potter!"

She sighed to herself and shook her head at Harry, who looked as though he was going to say something else. He sat back down with a grumble. Next disaster struck when they were brewing. She had turned away for a second to look at the book and their cauldron oozed green- covering Neville in painful looking boils. She groaned.

"Neville, we're supposed to add the quills _after_ we take the cauldron off the fire."

"Idiot boy! I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off of the heat?" Ithaca sighed as he barked at Seamus Finnegan to escort him to the Hospital Wing. "Black! Why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought it might be amusing to see him get into trouble, did you?"

"That's exactly it," she said sarcastically. "I let my best friend get hurt because I thought it would be funny. It definitely couldn't be because I was looking at the directions or anything. That's utterly inconceivable!"

"Five points!"

"Thank you, sir, I'm sure Gryffindor appreciates your contribution."

"Another five."

"For what? You have been awful since we sat down. Did you forget your morning tea?"

"Detention!"

Ithaca crossed her arms and glared at the professor, but said nothing- knowing Moony was going to have words with her as it was.

*

Moony definitely wasn't happy, but he didn't blame _her_. He knew Snape would have found any way to get her and Harry into trouble. He did, however, tell his ward that she probably could have done without the attitude. At this, she insisted she couldn't- that her silence would have been a stab to both her pride and soul. He shook his head at the letter and hoped that they at least didn't have to serve with Filch.

Instead, Saturday morning she and Harry reported to the Potions classroom, both bitter about their detention. Fred and George, upon hearing, cheered that they could get a detention their first class of his, and offered to prank him for them in celebration. Harry and Ron were all for letting them, but Ithaca wanted to prove to the sour professor that she was more than he seemed to think she was. She couldn't do that while charming his robes pink.

He was ready with a long pile of dirty cauldrons for them to clean, but that wasn't enough. He began talking to them as they scrubbed.

"Insolent children." He started. "You do not talk back to your teachers. Rude, arrogant, spoiled." After a while, Ithaca was able to block him out- not wanting to make matters worse. Then, "How very like your fathers you are, the both of you- "

"I am _nothing_ like my father," she said vehemently.

He smirked. "Oh, but you are. He too was exceedingly arrogant in everything, thinking he was Merlin's gift upon the world."

"Having confidence is not the same as arrogance and even if I was, that doesn't mean anything."

"And being associated with a Potter? Being a Gryffindor? Having an affinity for wild animals? At least he was only friends with one, you on the other hand were raised by- "

A nearby desk exploded in splinters and Ithaca jumped, never having experienced such violent accidental magic. She felt something strange in her arm and looked down at a four-inch sliver of wood in her skin. Harry, who'd been silently watching the whole exchange, widened his eyes. Professor Snape came around his own desk to look at it, mumbling a few spells to help.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, "for the desk. I've never done anything like that."

"I suppose it was to be expected considering the circumstance." Once her arm was better, with nothing more than a small mark where it had been, he told her and Harry they're detention was served and to leave. On the way back to the common room, they both agreed to keep it to themselves.

*

Their detention was soon forgotten about by them between visits to Hagrid and the new post about upcoming flying lessons.

"Great," Harry said. "Just what I need, to make a fool of myself in front of Malfoy."

"You'll do fine," Ithaca told him. "Uncle James was the Gryffindor Seeker. You'll be just as great."

Harry was still unsure, and tried not to listen to the tales some of their peers told about flying. Ithaca loved to fly, thinking herself fairly decent, but knowing it wasn't a great strength of hers. Neville was nervous, never having been good at flying. Hermione was nervous which was apparent by the amount of reading she did on the subject. The morning of, they were subjected to random facts she found in the library. A familiar barn owl swooped in with the morning post and Neville untied a letter for Ithaca and the small package for him.

"It's a Remembrall!" Ron said.

"I've read about those," Hermione added. "They're supposed to turn red when you've forgotten something."

"That's the problem," Neville said with a worried expression. "I can't remember what I've forgotten."

Ithaca shrugged, feeding Powder a bit of melon. "Did you forget to do that Transfiguration assignment?"

He groaned and nodded. Yes, that was it. Come to think of it, she still needed another three inches for it. They all walked in clumps to the Quidditch Pitch where Slytherin was waiting already, along with twenty brooms in two neat lines ready for use. It was a lovely day and she found herself just wanting to run and explore. Powder agreed, seeing trees that just begged to be climbed. Ithaca wondered what it would be like to swim in the lake with the squid.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" A hawk-like woman asked with spiky hair. "Everyone stand by a broom. Come on, hurry up."

Ithaca stood beside one between Neville and Harry. Hers came to her with a second delay, but she was still among the first four to have theirs; as well as Harry whose was immediate, Blaise Zabini who she had talked to in passing since the boat ride, and Draco Malfoy who gave the broomstick a gloating smirk. Ron's smacked him on the nose and she chuckled before looking over at Hermione having issues with hers. She was ridiculously amused to see that Malfoy had been mounting the broom wrong all these years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle, three- two- "

But Neville, whom she was ashamed to admit she hadn't realized was this nervous, pushed off hard before the whistle even touched Madame Hooch's mouth. Ithaca tried to grab his broom, succeeding only to rise with him before falling a few feet. He rose higher and higher.

"Neville! Lean down!" Ithaca's words were lost on him as he began to slip sideways off the broom- plummeting to the ground. Ithaca gasped and covered her mouth before running after him with Madame Hooch. His wrist was at an odd angle that had to be painful.

"Broken wrist," the professor muttered. "Come on, boy- it's all right, up you get. Miss Black, please rejoin the class."

"All due respect, ma'am, but he's my best friend. May I please come with you? He gets nervous around hospital wings and such by himself."

"I suppose that will be alright." She turned to the class. "None of you are to move while we take this boy to the Hospital Wing. If I see one broom in the air, the person riding it will be out of Hogwarts before you can say Quidditch."

Harry watched them go, feeling bad for the boy who couldn't catch a break. No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter. "Did you see his face, the great lump?"

Ithaca talked soothingly to Neville on the way to Madame Pomfrey. "You should never grab a broom like that," Madame Hooch told her. "You could have gotten yourself hurt as well."

"I had to do something," Ithaca insisted.

"Well, no one can say you aren't a good match for Gryffindor then."

Neville laughed a little, his attention shifting from the painful break. "That's Ithaca. Remus said she would jump off a mountain if she thought she could. Or swing from vines like Powder in the Amazon. There was a Muggle phrase about being ten feet tall or something."

"Ten feet tall and bullet proof," Ithaca said with a smile.

"Remus, Lupin?"

Ithaca nodded. "He's my godfather."

"You're Sirius Black's daughter," Madame Hooch said. "I don't know why I didn't realize that. You look just like him. He would have grabbed the broom as well. Recklessness must run in the family."

"I prefer to think of it as fearless."

*

Madame Pomfrey sent Ithaca to dinner with the promise that Neville would be back later that night. She grinned madly at the tale of Harry's heroics, and almost choked on her pumpkin juice when he told them about being the new Seeker. He remembered that was his father's position on the team and couldn't wait to start training.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground with your little friends." Ithaca smirked. Maybe she was a bad influence on Harry. Or good, depending on your point of view.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own." Malfoy said. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only- no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a Wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," Ron said, wheeling around.

Ithaca fumed. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked to either side of him, sizing his friends up. "Crabbe," he decided in a bored tone. "Midnight, in the trophy room? It's always unlocked."

"We'll be there," Ron said, and Malfoy walked off with his pointed nose in the air.

Harry turned to them. "What's a wizard's duel? And what do you mean my second?"

"Well, a second takes over for you if you die." At Harry's concerned expression, Ron was quick to add, "But that only happens in real duels. The most either of you will be able to do is throw sparks at each other."

"What do I do if nothing comes out?"

Ron looked at Ithaca who looked at Harry, "Throw it down and punch him on the nose."

Hermione came in at that point. She and Ron had immediately disliked each other and Ithaca and Harry often had to run interference. Like, when Ithaca, Harry, and Ron were just about to leave to go to the trophy room and Hermione stopped them.

"You're going to get into trouble and lose points from Gryffindor."

"Hermione, there are more important things than losing points."

"Like dueling Slytherin?"

"Like adventure! Come on, don't be cross."

Hermione huffed and followed them out to where Neville had been waiting because he forgot the password. Ithaca sighed. "Oh, Neville."

So, Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ithaca, and Neville made their way to the empty trophy room, then running through the corridors away from Filch and his cat- with Ithaca laughing wildly the whole way. Then the end was near as they came upon a locked door.

"Oh, move _over_." Hermione said, pushing Ron with her elbow. "Alohomora."

The heavy door opened with a click and they scrambled in just in time to hear Filch come after them. They all sighed in relief. Then, Neville squeaked and Ithaca turned around to see a giant, three headed dog just waking up from a slumber- and grumpy. They had stumbled upon the forbidden corridor. Ithaca's eyes widened and Harry fumbled behind him at the doorknob, the five of them tumbling backwards back into the hall. By the time they made it back to Gryffindor Tower, their feet hardly touching the floor at all they ran so fast, she was grinning so big her cheeks hurt.

"Pig snout, pig snout!"

They all collapsed, breathing hard with sweaty faces. "What are they doing keeping a thing like that in a school?" Ron asked.

"You don't use your eyes, do you?" Hermione asked. "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"

"The floor?" Harry guessed. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was a bit too preoccupied with its heads."

"Or didn't you notice there were three?" Ron asked incredulously.

She rolled her eyes. "It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed before any of you get another bright idea that could get us killed- or worse, expelled."

Ithaca and the boys watched her go back upstairs and she turned to them, having been silent so far. "That was so cool!"

Neville whimpered.

*

By the next morning, Harry and Ron had decided they agreed with Ithaca about the night before being an excellent adventure and were excited for the next one. Harry told them about the mysterious package Hagrid got out of Gringott's and whether or not that could be what was being hidden underneath the trapdoor. Ithaca told them that Hagrid was awful at keeping secrets and that they could just ask. Moony was very happy for Harry making the team and getting a new broom, sending the boy his personal congratulations. Harry showed Ithaca, who wasn't surprised, simply telling Harry that he was family.

Hermione had decided to avoid Harry and Ron, only talking to Ithaca and Neville in passing. Neville went back into himself, sticking to Ithaca's side, but making sure she knew he was _not_ going near the third floor again. Potions was easier after the first lesson. Professor Snape didn't mention her father or Moony again, nor did she lose control of her mouth again. She was best at Astrology, sneaking out after dark to the Astronomy Tower. The first time, she was caught by Professor Sinistra, who was only happy to find someone who loved her subject as much as she did.

Halloween morning, Ithaca woke up to the smell of baking pumpkins- as did everyone in the castle. She and Neville raced to Charms class, happy that they would be starting their levitating today. Professor Flitwick paired them all up, Harry with Neville, Ron and Hermione, and Ithaca and Seamus. He looked at her sheepishly and she sighed.

"I'll bet you a sickle it's within the first ten minutes."

"Now, don't forget the nice wrist movements we've been working on," Professor Flitwick reminded them. "Swish and flick. Remember to enunciate properly. Everyone ready? Here we go."

Ithaca and Seamus swished and flicked the best they could and still nothing, until Seamus became impatient and prodded it with his wand, making the feather explode with soot all over their faces. Harry helped put it out with his hat and Ithaca laughed.

"How do you set fire to a feather by trying to make it fly?" She asked. "Have you met the Weasley twins? You three should talk."

Ron wasn't having much better luck. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his arm like a windmill.

"No, no, no," Hermione admonished. "You're saying it all wrong. It's Levi-o-sa, not Levio _sar._ And make the _gar_ nice and long."

"Well _you_ do it then, if you're so clever."

Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her uniform and lifted her arm. "Wingardium Leviosa."

The feather began to rise high and Professor Flitwick clapped his hands together excitedly. "Oh, look everyone. Miss Granger's done it."

Ithaca sighed, knowing that Ron was going to be off. She wasn't wrong. She, Hermione, and Neville walked behind Harry and Ron as Neville wiped the soot off her face with his handkerchief. "She's a nightmare, honestly. It's no wonder she hasn't got any friends. Ithaca only talks to her because she feels bad for her."

Before Ithaca could say anything, Hermione pushed by in tears. Harry muttered, "I think she heard you."

It was luck that at this moment, Snape was walking near on his way to the Hospital Wing to get an inventory list. He watched Ithaca turn the two boys around to face her by their arms.

"Yes, she heard you," she snarled. "We were walking right behind you! How dare you suggest something so ridiculous as me only speaking to someone out of pity! And you- "

She turned to Harry who took a step back. "I-I didn't say anything," he said.

"You're right. You _didn't_ say anything. You just stood there while your friend did, which is just as bad. You two are no better than Malfoy."

Then she and Neville ran off to find Hermione. Harry, Ron, and Snape stared after her- the latter wondering to himself. Harry felt guilty. She was right. While he didn't say anything about the girl, he didn't stop Ron. Ithaca, Neville, and Hermione missed the rest of the day's classes. Hermione refused to attend dinner and Ithaca agreed to stay with her, but encouraged Neville- who was nervous about being caught in the girl's bathroom- to go eat. Ithaca was just convincing Hermione to come out with her when they heard something. It was a thud, scraping sound. Thud. Scrape. Thud. Scrape. Powder made his noise and Ithaca out her finger to her lips as the stall beside them was leveled by something large. Hermione screamed and they ducked as a club of sorts crashed through their stall as well, a piece of the wall falling on the bushy haired girl.

There stood a tall thing with large ears and smelling awful. Ithaca's jaw dropped. "W-what is that?"

"I think it's a troll. A mountain troll."

Ithaca quickly tried to pull the wall off Hermione and the troll came thumping towards them, knocking sinks off the walls as he went. Powder tried to pull Ithaca toward the exit.

"Ithaca! Hermione!"

"Harry?"

"OI, pea brain!" Ron threw a metal pipe at the thing to get its attention and Harry came around to where they were.

"She's stuck," Ithaca told him. "What are you guys doing down here?"

"Neville told us you were here, so we came to get you and warn you about the troll. He's gone to get the teachers."

Between the two of them, they were able to move the wall as the troll advanced nearer to Ron. Harry then did something very brave according to Ithaca, very stupid according to everyone else. He took a running jump at the troll's back, his wand sliding up into the troll's nose.

"Eww," Ithaca grimaced. "Oh, that is so gross."

The troll howled in pain, twisting around where Harry had to lock his arms to hold on. Powder climbed on with Harry, tugging on the troll's ears as Ithaca grabbed a sharp pipe and swung hard, not really being able to tell where she would hit. She got him square on the knee cap and was kicked away like the shooing of a bug. Ron raised his arm.

"Swish and flick," Hermione shouted from her spot in the corner.

"Wingardium Leviosa." The troll's dropped club rose high and everything stopped as the club dropped, clonking him on his bald head.

"Powder!" The monkey, and Harry, jumped down as the creature fell to the floor. Harry went over and pulled his wand from the troll's nose, a stream of green slime following it.

"I'm going to say it again," Ithaca said. "That is gross."

"So gross," Hermione agreed.

"Two syllable gross." Everyone turned to her in question as there was a slamming and loud, running footsteps. Aunt Minnie came in first, followed by Snape, and Quirrell coming in last. He took one look at the fallen troll and let out a whimper, sitting down quickly and clutching his heart.

"Aren't you supposed to be the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" Ithaca questioned. Ron snickered and Snape, inwardly trying not to chuckle, knelt down to examine the troll.

Aunt Minnie turned to Ithaca with thin lips of fiery anger that made Ithaca pale. "Why aren't the four of you in your dormitory?"

Harry and Ron looked to Ithaca, who stepped forward, "Well, you see, professor- "

"Miss Black, I suggest you keep in mind that I will be writing your godfather about this. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how disappointed I am, or how he will be."

Ithaca hung her head, speechless for once. "It's my fault, professor," Hermione said. "I was upset about something and came here. Ithaca was with me trying to cheer me up. We were just about to join the feast when the troll came in. If it weren't for them, I'd probably be dead."

*

Remus wasn't expecting an owl this late, much less one from the school. He tore it open and read, his blue eyes shifting from one side of the parchment to the other with each line.

 _Remus,_

 _Tonight, we had a bit of a close call where a mountain troll got loose in the school. It came upon Ithaca and a friend of hers in the bathroom during the feast and she, along with several of her friends were somehow able to knock the beast out. Ithaca is fine, only suffering a cut on her palm that will likely scar and a few bruises. I thought you might like to know._

 _Minerva McGonagall_

Remus stared at the lettering. A troll. She fought a troll? Why was there a troll in the school? He groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. He was glad she was at school, and in all honesty having the time of her life about the troll. His moon schedule interfered with his work schedule again and he found himself having to look for another job. He would be eating canned green beans for a while.


	5. Doubts

Chapter five: Doubt

"You have them?" Fred asked. George and Ithaca held up bags of a new prank they'd been working on. "Excellent!"

They set them up along a corridor and slid into an alcove with Ithaca sandwiched between the twins. George gave the line to Ithaca and Fred signaled for her to pull as they heard Filch's uneven footsteps nearing closer. She tugged hard and there was a wave of explosions as different animals erupted from the fireworks and chased the grumpy caretaker, spitting sparks and confetti.

"Weasleys! Black!"

"Run!" Fred yelled. George grabbed Ithaca and pulled her behind him, the three of them cackling down the hall with Filch chasing after them, and the troublesome animals behind him. Powder ran ahead, leading them away from where they could be caught. Fred caught up with him and picked him up, ushering George and Ithaca into a secret passageway.

As time went by, Ithaca, Harry, Neville, Ron, and Hermione became closer. Lately Harry was all about his Quidditch practice. Ithaca was swept into the mayhem that was the Weasley twins, making the entire school laugh one prank at a time. She wrote Moony twice every week to tell him about the mischief they had gotten into and he gave her advice on how to get out of it, or how to balance the activated charcoal where it didn't go off until you were ready for it to.

One day, Ithaca had just gotten back from hiding catnip around Aunt Minnie's office, when Harry was complaining about his book that Snape had taken away. She offered to go get it for him. It was almost curfew when she went down to the staffroom. There was no answer when she knocked and she opened it, a gasp coming out of her mouth at the sight. Filch and Snape were alone, with Snape's robes above his knee. His leg was bloody and mangled and Filch tried to bandage it.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Ithaca didn't know why she pushed the door open and walked into the middle of the room. "Are you okay, sir?"

"Black?!" Both men echoed.

"Get out!" Snape shouted.

Ithaca took another step. "I just came for Harry's book, sir. Can I help?"

"GET OUT!"

She grabbed the bandage and Muggle first aid out of Filch's hands and poured the alcohol onto the leg, watching the liquid chase away the traces of blood. Then she knelt down and pulled the gauze around it and secured it, looking back up at the Potions Master. "You should probably go see Madame Pomfrey, but I suppose under the circumstances I understand why you aren't."

"What do you want, Black?"

"I only came to ask about Harry's book, sir. I knocked, but didn't hear anything. I'm sorry I just barged in."

Snape reached behind him on his desk and thrust it toward her. "Take it and leave. I wouldn't dare mention this to any of your idiot friends, either."

"Yes, sir." She stopped at the door. "Sir?"

"What?!" He asked exasperatedly.

"What is your wand made of?"

"Fir," he said quietly- not looking at her, but his leg. "Fir and unicorn hair."

*

"Moony says good luck and not to worry about eating if you can't stomach anything; your father never liked to eat before a game."

Harry liked Moony, liked the throwaway information he often included about Harry's parents. He encouraged Harry to ask as many questions as he wanted about them. Neither noticed the looks Fred and George gave each other.

Ithaca, Neville, Ron, and Hermione piled together in the Gryffindor stands and waited for the game to start. Her favorite part, she decided, was the commentary. She doubted it was like this every time, but Lee Jordan was very amusing. She watched the game, growing incredibly bored, when Harry's broom dipped. She stood up to get a better look.

"Hagrid- "

"I see it," Hagrid mumbled. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's lost control of his broom."

Hermione grabbed the binoculars from him and looked through the crowds until she found whatever it was she was looking for, leaning over to show Ron and Ithaca.

"I knew it, it's Snape. He's jinxing the broom."

"What? No, he couldn't be." Ron showed her where Professor Snape sat in the teacher's box, muttering under his breath with his wand.

Ithaca took the binoculars and scanned the crowd as well, catching something Hermione didn't. "Wait! Quirrell's doing something as well." She looked up. "Where's Hermione?"

"She went to stop Snape."

"No! I think he might be helping."

Ron looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you barmy? He hates Harry."

"But, his wand means- "

"Ollivander is just some old coot. Snape is trying to hurt Harry."

"No," Ithaca said, giving the binoculars back, "he isn't."

Then she followed after Hermione to stop her. Harry's broom began acting normal and she saw Quirrell looking flustered and disappointed.

"I've caught the Snitch," she heard Harry shout before Ron and Hermione scooped him up and took him to Hagrid's hut. Professor Snape stormed his way to the dungeons, watching the DADA professor out of the corner of his eye, and Ithaca rejoined her friends.

"Rubbish," she heard Hagrid saying as she came in. "Why would Snape do something like that?"

"He didn't." Ithaca said.

"Course he didn't," Hagrid agreed.

Hermione turned to Ithaca. "You were there. We saw him."

"You saw him muttering with his wand. Didn't you notice Quirrell doing the same thing?"

Ron snorted. "Quirrell? The st-st-stuttering p-professor afraid of his own shadow?"

Ithaca frowned at him. "You should never underestimate anyone. Can you imagine a better cover than for someone to feign a stutter? Who would suspect?"

"Why don't you think it's Snape? He hates us."

"Because wands don't lie."

"His wand?" Ron asked. "You're still going on about that wand book?"

"Wand book?" Hagrid asked. "What wand book?"

Hermione explained. "Mr. Ollivander sent her a book for her birthday about what wands mean about the person."

"Never known him to do anything like that."

"What was your wand?" Ithaca asked.

His cheeks turned pink. "Laurel and unicorn hair."

"It is said that a laurel wand cannot perform a dishonorable act."

Ron grumbled. "That's just Hagrid. It could be a coincidence."

Ithaca crossed her arms. "What would it take for you to accept the possibility you're all wrong?"

"We don't even know Snape's wand," Harry added, ignoring her frustrated question.

"Fir and unicorn hair," she said without missing a beat. "I asked him. Fir favors owners of focused, strong-minded and, occasionally, intimidating demeanor. And wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. Hagrid told us it would take Dark magic to have jinxed the broom. Might I also add Minnie's is the same."

"But that still doesn't prove- "

"Stop it!" No one said anything. "I have proven it can have relevance with Snape's, Hagrid's, all of yours. Once is accident, twice is coincidence, three times is enemy action."

"How do you explain him trying to get past the three-headed dog?"

"How do you know about Fluffy?" The wandlore argument was forgotten and they turned their attention to Hagrid.

"You know the dog?"

"You have a Cerberus?"

"You named it _Fluffy_?"

*

Christmas was approaching fast and there were days of epic snow fights and days that Ithaca and the Weasley twins charmed snowballs to follow Quirrell around. She still didn't trust him. She would admit to herself that just because one's wand said something, didn't mean there wasn't a special circumstance or that it was always right, but she just _knew_ it couldn't be Snape. It didn't feel right, but with Quirrell it was creepy. Ithaca had offered for Harry and Ron to come home with her and Neville, but they decided that Harry and Ron would be staying to search up Nicolas Flamel while Ithaca looked at home. They had decided it might be best to leave Neville out of this one. Ithaca was sure there would be something in Moony's study.

The day before they left for holiday, Fred and George pulled Ithaca to the side.

"We couldn't help but overhear several times- "

"That you call your godfather Moony- "

"Yes, any particular reason?"

Ithaca rolled her eyes and smiled sheepishly. "Well his friends used to call him that. So did Harry and I as babies. I guess I never grew out of it."

"His friends called him that?"

"Yeah, the Marauders. It's what Moony, Harry's dad, and my dad called themselves. And one other."

The twins looked at each other and seemed to agree on something before Fred pulled something out of his pocket and showed it to her. She gasped in excitement.

"You found it?"

"You know what that is?"

Ithaca pulled her wand out. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." She watched the ink bleed onto the page and form the letters Moony had only told her about. "Filch took this," she explained. "One month before they graduated Hogwarts. So, this is how you two get around so easily."

"What was it like to be raised by a Marauder?" George asked with bright eyes.

"You two are more than welcome to meet him. He was the practical one of the group. He tried to keep the others out of trouble. In fact, that's how they came up with the idea of the map. My dad wanted to go out and prank the Slytherins and Moony pointed out that he could get caught. Or when James wanted to follow Lily around. It started out as a joke."

Ithaca couldn't wait to tell Moony about the map being found and used in the Marauders name. She told the twins that they even had a special compartment on the train and asked if the twins were going home, but all the Weasley's were staying at Hogwarts since their parents were in Romania visiting Charlie.

"You could ask if either of your parents know about Flamel," Ron said before Hermione and Ithaca left. "That would be safe."

"Very safe," Hermione agreed. "Both my parents are dentists."

Ithaca shook her head. "No. If I ask Moony, he'll get suspicious. Plus, he's really close with both Minnie and Albus. He might know and tell them- but he also might have something useful in his study."

Powder grunted and shook his head at her.

"What?" She asked. "I won't get caught this time. Promise."

*

"Moony!" Ithaca charged at him, throwing her arms around his neck and holding on tight, inhaling his scent with a deep breath. "I missed you so much," she mumbled into his coat.

He chuckled, his chest rumbling. "I missed you too, little love."

"Moony?" Ithaca asked that night curled up with him on the couch, a cooling mug of hot chocolate waiting. "Why did he do it? Sirius?"

"That was the one thing we could never figure out," he said quietly, stroking his ward's hair. He basked in his pack being back home. Pack. "He grew up in a Dark family. They always pressured him, but we thought he had resisted. They blast him off the family portrait for refusing. I can't figure out why he betrayed us. We would have done anything for him."

The last bit was whispered, but Ithaca heard it. "Did you ever ask him?"

"No. I came back from France and almost immediately had you." The thought lingered in his mind like the after taste of a particularly vulgar potion. He had resisted the idea at first that Sirius could have done something like that, but James and Lily would have chosen him as their Secret Keeper. There was no doubt about that. Ithaca fell asleep on his lap the way she used to, hot cocoa long forgotten and the weight killing his arm, but he didn't pay attention. The Sirius he knew would never have done this. He would never have left his daughter. He adored Ithaca and Harry.

*

 _"Don't you see?" He asked excitedly. "No one would suspect."_

 _"But Dumbledore- "_

 _"Why do we have to tell him? We can let people think it is me and you and Harry will be safe. Just- take care of Ithaca for me. If it really is him."_

 _"We trust you, Padfoot."_

Those last words echoed in his mind for ten long years. When he had finally lulled Ithaca to sleep that night, her stomach full, he checked on Peter. The entire flat was thrown upside down, clothes flung here and there, a picture frame broken where someone knocked it over in a hurry. Not a struggle, just a rushed panic. His stomach dropped and he quickly Floo'ed Arabella Figg to stay with Ithaca, not explaining anything. He drove to the Potter's hideout in Godric's Hollow. And it wasn't there. Or rather, it was, just not the way it should be. He remembered his whole frame shaking violently with each step to the kicked in door. Remembered seeing James' still opened eyes, unseeing in his death. He had stopped there, leaning against the wall with dry sobs overflowing, his breathing coming out in hyperventilating pants. Then Lily, sweet, fiery Lily. She was in the nursery, her own green eyes wide. He had picked up Harry and carried him out to where Hagrid had just arrived.

How stupid he had been. How stupid anyone would have to have been, to think that Moony would ever- but at the time no one even suspected it could be poor, pathetic Peter. And then Sirius chased after him. He should have gone home to Ithaca. He should have gone straight to Dumbledore. He should have stayed as the Secret Keeper.

A sound at the cell door caught his attention from his inner conflict and he looked up to see a face he hadn't seen in over a decade aside from dreams and old memories. Remus, his friend that he had done so much wrong by.

"Moony." He croaked, his voice not having been used in so long. The man flinched.

"Don't call me that."

Of course, he would believe the evidence. Sirius couldn't bring himself to blame him. He knew what it looked like. "You got old," he said in spite of himself.

"Ten years will do that to a person."

There was near silence for a moment, only interrupted by the dripping of water from a broken pipe somewhere. "How is Ithaca?"

" _Now_ you think of her?" Remus asked, wondering to himself why he was here. But he had to know why. For Ithaca. "She's perfect."

"Is she- "

"YOU DON'T GET TO KNOW!" Remus yelled before he could stop himself. "You don't get to know about her," he repeated in a soft whisper. "Why? Why would you do that to them? To Peter?"

Sirius growled. "I didn't," he said. "I didn't kill Peter, but I wish I had."

"Do you not even feel anything about betraying your friends?"

"I didn't do it, Moony."

"DON'T CALL ME THAT! She asked, you know. She asked about you and I had to tell a nine-year old that her father, my best friend, betrayed everyone. I had to tell her that you were here- and I couldn't answer when she asked why."

"Please," Sirius asked, tears building. "Please, just listen. I-I wasn't the traitor. We switched Secret Keepers. I convinced them to use Peter."

Remus shook his head, not believing it but the words still making him hope. He hated Sirius for that. "James trusted you above all others."

"I know," he whispered. "I knew everyone would think it was me. We thought you might have been the spy, so we told no one and let people think."

Remus wasn't expecting this. He knew he should leave. He knew that. He was expecting to come here and be fed some story about how Sirius had pretended for all those years. How he was never their friend. This was the last thing he thought he would hear. For some reason, Ollivander's words came to mind. That he doubted. Doubt.

"Why should I believe you?" He asked. "Can you give me _any_ reason, that in the face of the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, I should believe _you_?"

Sirius sighed and hung his head. "I have nothing. Nothing but a story."

"I'm leaving."

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"Home," Remus said, taking guilty satisfaction at the longing look on the man's face. The man who at one time had been his pack. "Ithaca is home for the holiday."

"Please," Sirius asked desperately. "Please. Just tell me something, anything, everything."

"She's your daughter."

Sirius watched him walk away, listening to his echoing footsteps down the way. Remus apparated to the cottage from outside the prison, his chest tight. He kept hearing his old friend's pleas for him to believe him. He didn't want to listen, but he couldn't help it. He wanted to believe him so bad. He was so tired of being without his pack. Ithaca wasn't in the living room when he came home. Instead, he followed her scent to his study and gathered her in his arms and just hugged her tightly- not even realizing he should be asking why she was there.

"I love you so much, Ithaca."

"I love you too, Moony," she said immediately, not fully understanding his sudden clinginess. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he lied. She, for once, didn't call him on it. "What do you say to chicken casserole?"

He knew it was her favorite. She followed him to the kitchen. Sometimes he had random days where he refused to let her leave his side. She guessed this was one of them.

Sirius leaned his head back against the cell wall, feeling stronger than he had before Remus' visit, and at the same time feeling worse than he could imagine. At least Moony was taking care of Ithaca. At least she was safe.


	6. Innocent

Chapter six: Innocent

Remus paced his study on Christmas eve night. Ithaca's presents were wrapped and ready under a silly tree that Ithaca just had to insist on. He actually thought it was darling, but he had so much on his mind. He had been replaying his visit to Azkaban over and over in his mind and with each time the idea that Sirius could be innocent seemed less and less absurd. Suppose he really was? He had to go back.

*

Ithaca and Powder slept until noon the next morning when Remus finally stopped waiting for her to wake up on her own. She was never one to wake up early for Christmas, choosing to sleep instead. She was hell to wake up.

"Ithaca?" He shook her shoulder gently. She mumbled in her sleep and he smiled. "Ithaca, it's time to wake up, little warrior."

"Don' wanna."

He sighed dramatically and picked her up bridal style and carried her out to the living room, dropping her on the sofa. She squealed and rolled over, snuggling into the cushions. Powder had reluctantly woken up by this time, only slightly easier to get up than Ithaca. He pulled on Ithaca's hair and she shooed him away, but it didn't work. Now Remus knew she was just playing. Yes, it took a lot of effort to get her to wake up, but once she was up, she was up for the day. She could never get back to sleep. He knelt beside her and tickled her sides, her high-pitched giggles chasing the dark thoughts from his mind.

"I guess this means I can give all your gifts away, right?"

"No!" She laughed, hugging him good morning. "Happy Christmas, Moony."

"Happy Christmas, warrior."

Neither of them could remember how old she was when he started calling her 'warrior', but neither could forget the event that spawned the name. She and Neville were playing outside one summer and he had gone into the house to make surprise smoothies as a treat. It was after they had Powder, so she had to be at least five. Powder was afraid of heights. This, of course, led to them sometimes calling him Cat for scaredy cat. He glanced out the window and saw her climbing near the very top of the old oak tree and ran out, terrified. She looked down, as if to judge something, shook her head, and climbed up a few more branches. She refused to come down until Powder faced his fear by coming to get her. Everyone called her a warrior for a while afterwards. Not afraid of anything.

Remus watched her unwrap her gifts in a fantastic blur of color; a heart shaped umbrella, a new scarlet cloak, and something strange.

"It's a wishing ball. You write down your hopes, your wishes, your dreams, and you put them inside it."

"I love it," she grinned. "Thank you, Moony."

That night she fell asleep over a holiday assignment for Potions. Remus rolled his eyes as he bent to carry her to bed at the idea of Snape giving them homework over Christmas. A slip of paper caught his eye, a wish written down and ready for the glass ball he'd given her. _"I hope he is innocent."_

He went rigid at that one sentence. There's no way she could know, right? No. Of course not. But, who else could the wish be about? He carried her to her bed and watched her snuggle into her pillow, her dark hair fanned around her like a halo and her eyelids fluttering from a dream- a faint smile playing at the corner of her mouth. She was slowly growing into herself, her too-big violet eyes, heart-shaped face and upturned nose. He wasn't looking forward to the boys he would have to beat away from her in time.

*

"You're back," he said, his surprise not evident in his tone.

Remus conjured a simple chair and sat down in it. "Yes, I am."

"How's Ithaca?"

"She's fine. I just saw her off back to school with Neville."

"Frank and Alice's boy? How are they?"

Remus furrowed his brow and then remembered, of course Sirius wouldn't know. He was here by that time. "They've been in St. Mungo's since you were arrested. Bellatrix Lestrange tortured them under the Cruciatus Curse until they lost their minds. Neville lives with his grandmother."

Sirius closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall. He and James were training to be Aurors with them. They were good people. "And he's a friend of hers?"

"Best friends, since they were babies," Remus heard himself say. Then, "I need to know the story."

Sirius opened his eyes and lifted his head to look at his old friend. "Why? You don't believe me."

"No, I don't know what to believe. Just, please, tell me the story."

"Will you tell me about my daughter?"

Remus hesitated. Bargaining with Ithaca, even if it was just information about the person she was, felt wrong. "No. If I believe you and you really are innocent I might answer questions. Maybe. She's _my_ daughter. Make no mistake of that."

Sirius leaned his forehead against his knees. "We knew it had to be one of us," he started. "It obviously wasn't James or Lily. It wasn't me. We thought it had to be you, and you'd been so distant. Always gone for weeks and days at a time. Peter, we thought, was too pathetic, too untalented, too, _Peter_." He took a shaky breath and Remus could understand. Who would ever think to suspect Peter? "When Dumbledore mentioned the Fidelius, James and Lily automatically said me. I was happy to, more than, but I knew that everyone would know it was me. So, I suggested we use Peter instead and I would be the diversion of sorts. We didn't tell anyone because why? We never imagined Peter would be the spy. We didn't tell you because- "

"You thought _I_ was the spy."

"I'm sorry, Moony," he said, and Remus didn't bother to correct him. "It was wrong, _I_ was wrong. It killed me to think it could be you. I have never been more wrong about anything."

"I was on missions for the Order. Dumbledore told me they were of the utmost importance and secrecy, chasing down werewolf packs through Paris. I didn't even get back until almost a month after that night. Imagine my surprise and sorrow upon my return."

Sirius squeezed his eyes shut, a tear or two dripping, skipping down his dirty cheeks. "I went after him, but he shouted that it was _me_ who had betrayed them. Then he cut off his finger and transformed."

Remus closed his eyes, running through the story he had just been told in his mind. He could see it. He knew Sirius would be so hotheaded as to chase down Peter. "Why didn't you prove this at your trial?"

Sirius laughed dryly. "What trial?" He asked bitterly. "There _was_ no trial, no Veritaserum, no nothing. They just threw me in here without so much a questioning."

"What can we do? There has to be something."

"There's nothing, Moony. If you speak out against my being in here, you'll be just as condemned. Then what would happen to Ithaca?"

Remus knew he was right, just as he knew that he believed Sirius' story. He smiled a little in spite of himself. "She's just like you, you know, Ithaca."

Sirius scooted closer where he was across from his old friend. "Really?"

"She was sorted into Gryffindor, you'll be happy to know. I was so sure she would be in Slytherin there for a while. Harry is in Gryffindor."

"What's he like? Have you met him?"

Remus nodded. "He and Ithaca are friends. He came over for her birthday. He lives with Lily's sister. I swear he looks just like James. Except the eyes."

"Lily's eyes. And Ithaca?"

"She looks like Ellabeth, except she has the misfortune of having _your_ hair. She even has her mother's purple eyes. They're a bit disconcerting from time to time."

"What is she like?"

"Fearless," Remus said. "She isn't afraid of anything, but woe to anyone who makes her angry. She has a sharp tongue and a strong opinion on everything." He told Sirius about her shoes being on the wrong feet, her meeting with both Malfoys, her letters about school. "She fought a mountain troll."

"What is a mountain troll doing at Hogwarts?"

Remus pulled his Muggle wallet out and handed him a picture taken at her most recent birthday with Harry, Remus, Powder, and Neville. Sirius watched the loop with a sad expression. "You bought her a monkey?"

"She has this look she gets that I'd like to see you try to say no to. She's, she's amazing."

"I wish I could meet her. Will you tell her about coming here? About me?"

"I don't know," Remus answered honestly. "I'm thinking about it, but I think she's too young to come here herself."

"No, I-I wouldn't want her to come here. Ever."

Remus thought for a moment. "Those mirrors, the ones you and James always used, where are they?"

"I-I imagine they're at Grimmauld Place." Remus grimaced.

"I can bring you one of them, and then show Ithaca the other."

Sirius was afraid to be hopeful. "You would do that?"

"I know what I said, about her being mine, and she is. For all intents and purposes she is my daughter, but she's yours first and foremost. I won't deny either of you that."

*

"What?" Three voices mingled together.

Harry nodded sadly. "Snape's refereeing our next match."

Ithaca groaned and fell back where she was sitting criss cross watching Powder and Ron's chess game. Powder had been winning. Now the monkey was gawking at Harry's news.

"I thought you thought he was trying to save Harry," Ron sneered.

"I do!" She insisted. "But I never said I don't think he hates Harry. That I believe wholeheartedly."

"Guys, back to the problem at hand. What do I do?"

"Don't play," Hermione said at once.

"Say you're ill." Ithaca said.

"Pretend to break your leg," Ron suggested.

"Really break your leg," Ithaca told him, a wild mirth in her eye that made Harry take a cautious step away from her.

He sighed. "I can't do that, there isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor doesn't play at all."

The portrait door opened and Neville fell through it on his side, causing a round of laughter to make a wave around the common room. Ithaca chuckled under her breath as she pulled Neville to his feet and helped him over the couch where Hermione whispered the counter-curse to the Leg-Locker Jinx he had been put under.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

"How did you get up here?" Ithaca asked, still chuckling under her breath.

Neville told them about meeting Malfoy outside of the library and the blonde wanting someone to practice on, and all of the amusement faded from her face into something darker that anyone who had known him would say was all Sirius. She stood abruptly from the couch and stormed toward the door, only to be picked up by George and thrown over his shoulder as Ron lectured Neville.

"Let me go," she kicked. "Someone has to go teach that dodgy maggot some manners!"

"Whoa, little sis, don't go getting yourself in trouble," Fred said. George refused to put her down and she huffed, resting her chin in her hand as someone snapped a picture and Harry gave Neville a chocolate frog from his pocket.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy. The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

"Slytherin has nothing to do with it," Ithaca mumbled. "He would be just as much of a tosser in Hufflepuff. He's gifted that way."

George chuckled, his shoulders rumbling beneath her and Harry looked up at her, Hermione, and Ron with a gasp.

"I found him."

*

The day of the dreaded game came and Ithaca had had a talk with the twins about keeping an extra eye on Harry. Fred and George both looked scandalized that she thought they would let anything happen to the child of a Marauder. She laughed when one of them went so far as to hit a Bludger toward Snape. She watched the cold professor scan the crowds for something and meet her eyes. She frowned. What was he looking for? She wondered if that was why he was refereeing, was to keep a better eye on the person trying to hurt Harry. She was broken out of these thoughts with a poke to the back of Ron's head.

She tried to ignore Malfoy. Really, she did, but then he went off about Neville and Ron's family.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!"

Ithaca growled and tackled Malfoy to the ground, soon to be joined by Ron and the hesitant Neville. She heard Hermione's shouts of encouragement to Harry between the groans, scuffles and yelps. She had just caught Malfoy's arm as he went to shove her off and went to hit him again, only to be pulled off by Neville and Hermione. She stood up and spit down at Malfoy, who was sporting one hell of a shiner, and looked up to Aunt Minnie.

"Ithaca Ophelia Black," she hissed. Ithaca gulped and followed the stern woman to her office, waving sadly to her friends.

"What in Merlin's name were you thinking, child?"

Ithaca sighed. "You should have heard the things he was saying about Neville. Or the Weasleys."

"And that gives you the right to wrestle like a common hooligan? That is not the young lady Remus has raised."

"Y-you don't have to tell him, right?"

"Of course I have to tell him! What were you thinking? You could have seriously hurt that boy!"

"Honestly, Aunt Minnie, that's sort of what I was going for."

Minerva glared at her and Ithaca looked away, her face red. "Detention, Ithaca. And I think since it was a Slytherin you were fighting with, it is only fitting you serve it with their Head of House."

"What? No! You can't- "

"Do not presume to tell me what I can or cannot do, Ithaca! Now get out of my sight. I'm so disappointed I can't even look at you right now."

Ithaca kept her head bowed as she went looking for her friends to hide the glassiness in them.

*

Remus had chewed her out quite sufficiently in a private Howler. She could tell he was pacing when he did, probably throwing his hands up in the air as he went. Sirius had smiled when Remus told him about it. Apparently, his daughter inherited his hotheadedness. Now, Ithaca trudged down to the dungeons to serve her detention.

"Enter," his voice drawled through the door. She opened it and found him reading through papers, not saying anything to her. She wondered if he used this as a tactic to make the student nervous. A test to make the other person speak first.

"Don't you ever get cold down here, sir?"

He didn't look up. "No colder than my heart is said to be, Miss Black. If I chilled so easily I would never get any peace." She chuckled and he put his papers down. "So, you have been terrorizing my House."

"No, sir."

"Oh? Then I have been lied to by your Head of House?" He challenged her with an eyebrow.

Ithaca lifted her chin. "All due respect, sir, I doubt that she worded it quite like that. Yes, I scuffled with Malfoy, but only because he and his ridiculous body detail have decided to terrorize _us_ first."

"Or is it that you just think all Slytherins are evil and need to be taught lessons?" He growled, thinking back to her sire.

She frowned at him. "I have never held that belief. I just think your House is unfortunate as to some of its members. Like Malfoy."

"There are cauldrons to be cleaned. I suggest you start."

"You know, being the youngest and most accomplished Potions Master, you would think you could come up with something more creative for detentions."

"I can," he said offhandedly. "I am just told they go against the policy that is Hogwarts."

"What a shame."

*

Ithaca didn't join Harry and Ron in their attempts to encourage Quirrell, but she also did not say anything against them. She debated on writing Moony about this, but decided he would be angry with her, or worse, disappointed. No, she'd already done that enough times this year. Besides, she would be going home here soon for the Easter hols. Before she left, Hermione was sure to drill that she needed to be studying for the upcoming exams- that were ten weeks away, she might add. Not that she couldn't _not_ study with all of the work the professors were assigning.

Something was different about Moony this time. He still hugged her tightly, patted Powder's head, but he seemed- happier? No, that wasn't it. Surely he seemed healthier. Like he'd had a long series of restful sleeps. When they apparated home, he stood there awkwardly. Like he had something important to tell her and wasn't quite sure where to begin.

"Moony? What's wrong?"

He cleared his throat and gestured for her to sit down on the couch. She did so hesitantly, remembering a time she sat on this couch in this same fashion and had Remus tell her he would have to be away for her birthday. He had refused to tell her why, but she had already known.

"You asked me a question, do you remember, over Christmas break?"

She did. The question that had been plaguing her almost as much as the predicament she and her friends had ventured too far in to back away from. She told him this.

"Yes, about him." She didn't elaborate more than that, knowing she didn't need to. She was never quite sure how to address the man who sired her. She couldn't call him 'Dad' outside of her mind or even within it most of the time, and she didn't feel right calling him by name either.

Moony nodded. "I went to Azkaban," he said- watching her eyes widen and her eyebrows almost touch her hairline. "I asked him."

Ithaca scooted to the end of her seat. "W-what did he tell you?"

"First," he prefaced, "you must know that you can never let anyone know about what I am about to tell you." She agreed with crossed fingers, already knowing she couldn't _not_ tell her friends. At least Neville. "He didn't."

She slumped from the anticlimactic answer. "He-he didn't answer?"

"No, he didn't do it."

He could see her working it out in her head, taking a minute to understand. "He-he's innocent?" Remus felt himself nod and watched a grin spread across her face and she launched herself at him. "That's amazing! He can come live with us, Neville won't mind giving up his room- he can just stay in mine when he comes over."

Sirius was watching the scene through the mirror shard and his heart broke at seeing her, hearing her innocence and ignorance of the way the world was. Then she stopped dead.

"Wait, you-you said not tell anyone which means- "

"There's no proof, warrior. And if we start trying to convince people, they would think I'm guilty as well and take you away from me."

Ithaca stood up and started pacing, making Sirius think of Remus and the hundreds of times he had paced in a similar way while thinking of pranks. "So, he's just going to stay in Azkaban?"

"He has to."

"No, he doesn't. There has to be some way we can prove it. Any way. Something."

Remus and Sirius had discussed finding Wormtail, but the idea was ridiculous. Neither of them knew where he was if he was even still alive. He could be anywhere in rat form. He explained this and the story that led to his arrest.

She stared unblinking at the fireplace, a hopeless expression on her face. "But- it isn't right."

"Life is not fair, Ithaca. You know that."

"And- if we tell anyone it will call attention to the fact that _you_ are in care of a child. They would, they would take the opportunity."

Remus blinked at her, only just now thinking that she must know of his furry little problem. He wondered how long she had known. But that didn't matter at this moment.

"I want to go see him."

"Absolutely not," he said immediately.

She turned to him with an inherited, indignant glare. "I deserve to see him, Moony. He's my father."

"I'm not letting you anywhere that place." Ithaca turned around fully to face him and he stopped her. "I'm not saying you can't see him, but it will not be there."

She furrowed her brow. "How?"

Remus smiled and went to retrieve the mirror. Sirius was dazed, never imagining how like him she would turn out. She was wonderful, beautiful, he wanted to hug her. Remus explained to her that they used these to communicate as kids. She took it from him gingerly and looked down, through the glass at a man that looked a bit like her, but nothing like the old pictures she'd seen of a handsome ne'er-do-well.

"Hello." She whispered. "I-I'm Ithaca."

"I know," he almost sobbed. "I named you."

"Right."

It wasn't awkward, just neither of them knew quite what to say. "So, I heard that you gave a Malfoy a black eye."

She blushed. "Yes, at the Quidditch match. He was being awful about Neville and our friend's family. Aunt Minnie caught me."

"You're allowed to call her that? I called her Minnie all through school, but I don't think she was very accepting of it."

"She threatened to let Filch string you up by your toes," Remus snorted.

Ithaca smiled at both of them, and sat down on the floor, her back against the hearth. "I had detention with Professor Snape for fighting."

"Snape?" Sirius asked, suddenly looking as though he smelled something horrid. " _Snivellous_ is teaching?"

"His name is Professor Snape," Ithaca frowned and Remus tried motioning to Sirius to stop while he was ahead. "And he's a great teacher."

Remus had told Sirius that once Ithaca decided she liked you or respected you, you had earned her eternal loyalty. She was an all or nothing person and very vocal about how she felt. Taking this into account, Sirius changed topics.

"Tell me about your friends."

She launched into descriptions of all of them; the pranks with the twins, Ron's addiction to chicken, Hermione's addiction to academics, Neville's loyalty, and Harry's Seeker skills. They talked for hours as she caught her father up to speed on her life and everything that he had missed. She fell asleep there.

*

"I'll never remember this," Ron groaned. Ithaca looked up from her Transfiguration essay, setting her quill down and flexing her cramped hand.

"Maybe we should take a break," she suggested.

Hermione huffed. "We've barely covered everything, and they're coming up! We can't stop."

Ithaca went to answer when she heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Sure enough, Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He suddenly looked suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," Ron told him proudly. "And we know what that dog's guarding. It's a Philosopher's St- "

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening, which made Ithaca copy his movement in a flash of paranoia. "Don't go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?

Hagrid agreed for them to come see him later, not promising to tell them anything much to their amusement, but that was overshadowed by the knowledge that he was looking for books on dragons. Ithaca knew he wasn't much of a reader, and he'd always wanted a dragon. She had a bad feeling about this.

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon, he told me so the first time I ever met him," Harry told them, to which Ithaca nodded in agreement.

"Yes, Harry, but it's against our laws."

"You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania," Ron added.

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain, surely?" Harry asked.

Ithaca snorted, "Of course there are. The Ministry has a job hushing them up."

"So what on Earth is Hagrid up to?"

An hour later they knocked on the gamekeeper's hut door, surprised and a bit alarmed about the closed curtains. Their next clue something was up was that Hagrid didn't just jovially open the door, instead shouting to ask who was there. The four looked at each other in confusion.

When he finally opened the door, a wave of suffocating heat hit them. It was already a rather warm day outside, and Hagrid had the fire going on full steam. Hagrid made tea and stoat sandwiches that no one touched.

"So- yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?" Hagrid asked them nervously.

Harry started in. "Yes. We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Philosopher's Stone apart from Fluffy."

Hagrid frowned. "O' course I can't," he said. "Number one, I don' know meself. Number two yeh know too much already, so I wouldn't tell yeh if I did know. That Stone's here for good reason."

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you know. You know everything that goes on around here," Hermione said in a warm, flattering voice. Ithaca chewed her lip at this. She loved Hagrid, she did, but everyone knew he couldn't keep a secret for love nor money. Why was it he that Dumbledore trusted so implicitly with this? It seemed odd to her.

"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that, let's see. He borrowed Fluffy from me, then some o' the teachers did enchantments; Perfessors Sprout, Flitwick, McGonagall, Quirrell," Ithaca's ears perked up at this, "an' Dumbledore himself did something, o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Perfesser Snape."

"Snape?" Ithaca shot Ron and Harry a disapproving look. They were still at an impasse here.

"Yeah- yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."

Ithaca knew what the others were thinking, because she was thinking the same thing- just not about the same person. If Quirrell was one of the teachers protecting the Stone, then it must not be too hard to figure out what the others did to guard it as well. Especially with his stupid stutter and unthreatening countenance. She hated to admit that it was ingenious. Harry had, of course, told them about the conversation he'd over heard in the woods, but that could have been interpreted either way, she didn't envy Quirrell Snape's wrath. That was for sure.

"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, though, aren't you, Hagrid?" Ithaca found herself asking. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows 'cept me an' Dumbledore," Hagrid beamed proudly.

"Well, that's something," Ithaca heard Harry mutter. "Hagrid, can we open a window? I'm boiling."

Hagrid shifted in his chair and glanced toward the roaring fire. "Can't, Harry, sorry." Harry and Ithaca followed his gaze and she inhaled sharply through the nose.

"Hagrid- what's that?"

Ithaca couldn't believe how irresponsible Hagrid was being. On one hand, she thought it was amazingly wicked and wanted to say "who cares about the law?" But on the other hand, she knew he could get into serious trouble. She tried hard to pay more attention to the first point, ignoring the nugget of anxiety.

However, the anxiety was nowhere to be felt when one breakfast, Hedwig brought Harry a note from Hagrid with only two words. _'It's hatching.'_ She and Ron wanted to outright skip Herbology, but Hermione wouldn't hear it. Ithaca stopped them from discussion upon seeing Malfoy, who'd stopped to listen with a look she didn't like, but he couldn't have heard much.

Hagrid waved them all inside when they walked down to his hut that afternoon, immediately from their classes. "It's nearly out," he told them.

The egg was lying on the table with deep cracks in it and a strange clicking noise coming from inside. Ithaca leaned toward it, the entire hut holding its breath. Then there was a scraping sound as the egg split open. The baby dragon flopped on the table and shook its head with a dazed look. Ithaca would admit that it was quite possibly the cutest thing she'd ever seen, in an ugly, awkward way. Then it sneezed and a couple sparks flew out of its snout.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid murmured. He reached out a hand to stroke the dragon's head. It snapped at his fingers, showing pointed fangs. "Bless him, he knows his mommy!"

"Hagrid, how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow, exactly?"

Hagrid was about to answer when the color suddenly drained from his usually red face and he lept to his feet, running to the window.

"What's the matter?" Ithaca asked, going over to him.

"Someone was lookin' through the gap in the curtains- a kid- he's runnin' back up ter the school." At this, Harry bolted to the door and looked out, coming back with a pale face as well.

"It's Malfoy."


End file.
